Page 28 of The King's Maiden
Then, she struck us both.
“Landon Scott.”
Chapter Eight
QUINN
The Round Tableau was a large, circular space inside the building where the party had been held. It had a domed ceiling, making the open space in the middle of the room feel wider. Dim lighting and dark alcoves shrouded the antiquated cuffs and leather straps on the walls, but my eyes zeroed in on them as soon as we entered the room.
The space looked like it had been created with dark intentions. A place to act out the most torrid fantasies. Apart from where we entered, doors separated each alcove. Nestled into the brick all the way around, I didn’t have to count them to know how many I’d find.
Twelve Knights. Twelve Maidens.
Twelve private rooms.
One by one, our escort led each Maiden to a closed door marked with a coat of arms. I didn’t know enough about Arthurian lore to know who they represented, but others did. Izzy Gold blushed furiously when she was led to a door with a green banner, the golden lion leading me to believe it belonged to Tristan Léon.
Elaine had been right.
One by one, the girls were led around the room to their assigned doors. When Elaine was led to her Knight’s door, it had a purple coat of arms with gold crosses. Her frown told me it didn’t belong to Landon.
But as she stared longingly at the one next to it, bearing a white coat of arms with red stripes, she gave away its owner.
It also remained the only room without a Maiden.
Because it was meant for me.
Taking my place in front of it, I glanced at the closed door we came in through, with a royal blue coat of arms. Adorned with three crowns, I assumed that it belonged to King Arthur. It was the only door without a Maiden.
On the other side of it, my attention caught on the glare of an icier blue. Vivian’s cruel smile made my stomach turn as she leaned back against her door, running her hand over the purple coat of arms behind her. She touched it reverently, almost lovingly, while holding my gaze, and I assumed it belonged to the Knight she’d warned me to stay away from—Max Dread.
Her door and mine flanked the King, an appropriate nod to the rivalry we’d quickly established. Vivian had singled herself out as my biggest threat. She’d thrown down a challenge when she spilled my secrets and commanded me like a Queen.
But I had no intention of letting her beat me.
“You’ll wait here until your Knights arrive,” our escort informed us before exiting the room.
He left us in silence, but it didn’t take long for the whispers to start. A Maiden named Inez had been picked by Gerard Saint, and everyone agreed he’d wanted her for a while, always hanging around her at Camelot Court parties. The girl who saw stars, Tara, had been paired with Gavin Wainscot.
Well, damn.
If Elaine had taken the bet, I would’ve won ten bucks.
Most of the girls looked pleased, or at least not unhappy, about their Knights. The consensus seemed to be that getting selected as a Maiden was an honor. Only Elaine had disappointment on her face.
But I overheard the girl next to her say that Peter Valencourt wasn’t the worst Knight to end up with, if she couldn’t have the one she wanted.
At that, Elaine’s eyes darted to me.
“You probably lucked out,” her friend said. “I hear Landon has some serious kinks.”
Elaine laughed. “From who?”
“Some girl in my English Lit class raved about him.”
“Yeah, right.” Elaine rolled her eyes. “The guy doesn’t date, and I’ve never seen him leave a party with anyone. That girl was just starting rumors. You know how people outside Camelot Court are about the Knights.”
The other Maiden’s face grew more serious. “She said her old roommate introduced them. The Maiden last year, who?—”
